


Port in a Storm

by JustRinIsFine



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Disassociation, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Implied/Referenced Animal Death, Injury, No ship!!!!!, Panic Attacks, Philza is mentioned but doesn’t make an appearance, Ranboo gets water burns but it’s not super graphic, Sibling dynamic, These two boys just don’t get social situations, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28931736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustRinIsFine/pseuds/JustRinIsFine
Summary: Ranboo gets caught in a blizzard. Techno gets forced to care for his new neighbor. They both didn’t expect things to get so heavy. They’ll be alright, though.(Takes place just after Ranboo joins Techno and Philza.)requisite ‘these are the characters, not real people’ spiel, if creators are uncomfortable, I’ll take this down, etc. etc.
Relationships: Ranboo & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 509





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I swear this was topical when I started it.
> 
> This is a short chapter, the next 2 are way longer, please trust me.

Techno liked the cold, or at least, Techno liked the quiet and solitude that came with the arctic cottage he built for himself. The snow was also pretty, so that’s two points for the cold.

Philza had been absent for a while, between traveling from (what once was) L’manburg to Techno’s little homestead, as well as whatever the man got up to on his own time. All Techno had really known was that Phil picked up another stray: the half-enderman, Ranboo.

Techno had no strong feelings about Ranboo. On one hand, he had been part of the Butcher Army, and while the execution didn’t actually kill him, it didn’t feel great to be dragged from his home and put on display for everyone on the server. On the other hand, Ranboo was the reason he had his armor back, and the kid didn’t seem like he could betray anyone even if he wanted to.

Mixed feelings aside, if Phil wanted to adopt another troubled youth, that wasn’t Techno’s business, and so Ranboo was allowed to build a shelter with them in the tundra. Ranboo made himself scarce, for the most part, rarely entering Techno’s house, and building what can only be called a glorified lean-to against the cliffside behind Techno’s own cottage. Ranboo’s rabbit had more protection from the elements than the kid himself did, but Techno wasn’t about to get himself involved, he didn’t care about the kid, he _didn’t_.

But then a blizzard came, sweeping snow into the fenced shelter Ranboo had carved out for himself in waves, and Techno’s irritation won out over his apathy, watching the dense wall of snow slowly bury the small shelter, all lamplight and campfire drowned out by the white haze. He messaged Ranboo on their communicators.

<Technoblade> ranboo, come inside your going to freeze

<Technoblade> or at least build a proper wall, man, i know you have the supplies

He waited a few minutes, barely able to make out the frame of the lean-to through the windy storm, just staring as the voices in his head argued,

_ranboos totally dead RIP_

**GO KILL HIS PETS! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!**

G̶͕̓o̶͇̊ ̶̈́ͅf̵̨̐ḭ̴̃n̴͛͜ḋ̴̳ ̸͓̈́R̶̝͑â̶ͅṉ̶̌b̶̫͊ő̷͈ô̵̰,̸̤̅ ̶̩͒h̶͙̆e̴̗͂ ̴͓͠p̷̫̆r̶̗̿o̶̠͂b̸̡̽a̸̗̓b̸̖̾l̷̜̈y̶̝͋ ̵̺̕n̵͙̈́ḛ̷̒ḙ̷̍d̶̳͘s̵̽ ̶̞͊h̷̰̓e̷̯͂l̴̻̇ṕ̴̮!̴̗͝

“We’ll give it a few minutes, chat. He’s probably fine,”

Two minutes turned to five, turned to ten. Techno chewed his lip, anxiously staring at his communicator. Wait, not anxiously, he didn’t care. He was just… angry at being ignored. Sure, right, and now he had to go to Ranboo to get in his face about it. With that internal argument over, he shrugged on his heavy woolen cape and trudged his way over to Ranboo’s shelter.

Technoblade would consider himself a perceptive guy, after all, you can’t 1v5 a group if you don’t know what’s going on around you. Even in the solitude of the arctic, being aware of your surroundings can be the difference between life and death. Which is why, when Techno noticed that the lamplight was not only not visible, but not existent, his heckles raised. As he got closer, he couldn’t help but wince at the state of the shack, snow piled into the open recesses of the furnace and drifting out of the chests, lid slightly opened from the wind, and all sources of light snuffed out by the cold and damp of the blizzard. Most worryingly, though, was Ranboo, huddled in a small ball on his bed, tucked protectively around himself, practically vibrating with how hard he was shivering. That was a good sign, at least.

Techno sighed, kicking the edge of the bed, putting on a mask of smug indifference, “Ranboo, I told you. I said you would freeze out here. And here you are. Frozen. What a fool. What a boomer move, Ranboo,” Techno sneered, though his pulse picked up at the lack of response from the kid. Ranboo sat, shivering violently, not even looking up at Techno’s presence, just staring vacantly at nothing.

“Ranboo, c’mon, let me get you inside. You’re just going to get hypothermia, die, and respawn in the miserable cold,” Techno got closer, using real-world chatter to quiet the roaring in his head, cries to help him or leave him ~~or put him out of his misery~~. Techno put a hand to his shoulder, and even through his leather gloves, he could feel the chill emanating off the half-enderman.

Deciding that was definitely not good, Techno tried to pry one of Ranboo’s arms away from his body, to better find a pulse (or carry him, if necessary). Ranboo acquiesced, going limp in Techno’s grasp and continuing his vacant stare, something that would have been alarming if Techno’s attention wasn’t immediately brought elsewhere. Sitting in Ranboo’s lap, protected from the elements, was a tiny black and white rabbit, snuffling it’s nose in the sudden cold, blinking it’s eyes up at him. Techno was suddenly struck with two emotions: Unfathomable fondness, and bone-deep annoyance.

And so, muttering the whole way, Techno slung Ranboo over one shoulder and tucked the rabbit under his other arm, trekking back to the cottage, wondering how the hell he got stuck babysitting yet again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is where the Implied/Referenced Animal Death comes into play, along with Panic Attacks and Disassociation. If you're sensitive to that, and don't mind chapter spoilers, I explain in the end notes. Stay safe!!

Ranboo never woke up quickly, often swimming to consciousness with fragments of what might be dreams and might be memories slipping through his fingers like wet sand: uncomfortably and incompletely. This morning, though, Ranboo woke with only a hazy feeling that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He looked around, taking in the library across from the bed, enchanting table causing a low hum of runic power. It was familiar, but not because it was home. It wasn’t home, was it? Was he staying with someone? Shaking his head, Ranboo tried to collect his thoughts, reaching for his memory book.

His memory book was gone. That wasn’t good, without his memory book he doesn’t remember what he’s done, what he hasn’t done. Someone could read it. Is it bad if someone reads it? Ranboo doesn’t have anything to hide. Does he? Would it be written in the book? Ranboo felt dizzy and nauseous and staticy, the heavy pulse of his heart ringing in his ears like storm sirens between his temples, a scream that shifted to humming to buzzing in steady clockwork as his body started to throw itself into panic, stifling and choking.

Focus. He needed to focus.

Sensation. He was cold.

He was cold because he was in the tundra. He was in the tundra because Phil let him stay with himself and Techno. Techno lives in a cottage with a library in the attic. Ranboo was in Techno’s house.

Now he just had to figure out why.

Shifting himself off the bed, shaky on his unsteady legs, Ranboo started the slow decent down the ladder, acutely aware of how far of a fall it would be to the basement if he were to lose his grip.

Slowly, oh so slowly, he made his way to the main floor of the cottage, head spinning from the exertion of the trip. That was alarming, typically he wasn’t so weak after a panic attack, especially one he was able to talk himself out of. Looking at his hands, he noticed small swaths of water burns, the worst of which were bandaged. Weird.

Ranboo settled himself next to the fire, staring into it, politely avoiding looking at Edward. He was startled when Edward initiated conversation, in Ender Common.

“You were asleep for many nights, little one”

“O-oh?” Ranboo was taken aback, both by the abrupt start of the conversation, and also the sliver of worry that Edward seemed to be displaying, “Did something happen?”

Edward chuffed a laugh, a sound that was mostly white noise and the scent of ozone.

“Almost. The bloody one stopped it, though. You got some burns from the white rain.”

Ranboo looked at his hands again. ‘The bloody one’ was obviously Techno, who saved him from the snow. Ranboo sighed, leaning against the wall, watching the embers crackle in the fireplace.

Edward let out a questioning hum, a low tone like electrical buzzing.

“I just… I try so hard to not be a bother, you know? I know Techno wants to be alone, and that’s fine, and I was working very hard to stay out of his way, but now I’m here, and apparently Techno had to pull me out of the snow because I can’t take care of myself, and…”

There was a heavy slam and stomping behind him, and Ranboo stood up so fast he could see black dotting his vision, turning to see the newcomer.

Techno glared at him, unamused, still stomping the snow off of his boots in the doorway. After a beat of silence, he looked between the two ender-folk. “Talking about me, were you?”

Ranboo blushed furiously reflexively dropping his eyes, “I, um, I didn’t know… you were there… or that you spoke Ender…”

Techno let out a low chuckle, though it sounded more amused than annoyed, so that was good. Ranboo listened to his heavy footfalls as he crossed the floor to the small kitchenette, “I don’t, kid. It was a joke. But if you have something to share with the class…?”

Ranboo shook his head furiously, trying to shake the static from his thoughts, “I, um. Edward said you saved me. From the snow. I think? So, um. Thank you.”

There was silence for a long moment, Techno having stopped what he was doing in the kitchen, and Ranboo just decided he was going to apologize and leave when Techno responded.

“You don’t need to thank me, Ranboo. I wasn’t going to let you die out there,” He said it so simply, like it was just a fact of life. It caught Ranboo off guard.

“I’m still thankful, though! Um… I guess I’ve been out for a while?” Ranboo raised his eyes, finally taking in Techno, who, for the first time Ranboo ever saw, was without his crown and royal cape, instead in a simple blouse and pants, hair tied up in a simple bun, and glasses perched delicately on his nose. He almost looked soft, for how violent Ranboo knew he was. Techno, oblivious to Ranboo’s internal monologue, just raised a brow at him, not taking his eyes off the pot that he was stirring.

“Yup. Three days, by my count. So you might want to sit back down, before you pass out from low blood sugar or something,” It was hard to tell teasing from Techno’s monotone voice, so Ranboo sat himself back down before Techno even finished his sentence, causing the other to glance in his direction, only for a second.

Techno continued, like nothing happened, “By the way, either you’re building a proper house, or I’m doing it for you. And that is a threat, Ranboo, that’s a _threat_ , I’m so bad at building, you have no idea. You have no idea, Ranboo, and I’ll make you live in it,” his words, despite the claimed threat, were said with a smirk, like it was a joke that Ranboo wasn’t in on. Ranboo just stared, tilting his head at this new version of Techno he’d never seen before.

Techno continued rambling, but Ranboo couldn’t focus on his words, instead watching as he ladled two portions of whatever was on the stove into two wooden bowls, then taking two cups and pouring hot water into each, brewing what Ranboo could only assume were two mugs of tea. He then placed all of them on a small plank of wood, and carried the entire affair over to Ranboo, setting it down with a gentle thunk of wood against stone.

“I don’t know what you like, but I thought rabbit soup was light enough for your system,”

Rabbit. Something in him bristled at that. Something was wrong. He just didn’t know _what_.

Techno must have seen something on his face, “Ranboo? What’s wrong?”

“I… I don’t know… Where’s…?” He was going to ask for his memory book. He needed to know what he couldn’t remember, but memories suddenly hit him like a freight train.

_It was snowing. It shouldn’t have been a bad storm, but he couldn’t prepare. His fire went out, and there was nothing he could do, hands already shaking too hard to work the flint and steel. He stored all his belongings, in case something happened, and curled up on his bed, with his small pet rabbit curled up with him, the two sharing body heat. They would just tough out the storm, it would be fine. It would be fine. The rest is just white haze…_

Ranboo comes back to himself shaking, staring down at the soup. Rabbit soup, Techno said it was rabbit soup. Techno killed his rabbit? No, he wouldn’t do that. Unless… this is his idea of payment? He heard Techno, vaguely. He was talking. Ranboo tried to focus on the words.

“Ranboo, you’re alright. You’re here. I’m here. Can I touch you?” Ranboo focused on Techno, staring at the outstretched hands. Did techno want something else? All of Ranboo’s things were in his chest… at least he thought. Ranboo nodded, anyways, not wanting to upset the man, and Techno rounded the makeshift table, taking Ranboo by the shoulders, tucking the boys head under his chin. Oh. This was not what he expected.

“Ranboo, listen. I’m sorry for what I did to trigger that. You don’t need to explain yourself. But I need to know what I did. Alright, Ranboo?” His voice was soft, steady in a way that Ranboo had never expected, let alone had heard before. Ranboo went to nod, but having his head tucked into the chest of the older man, he cleared his throat.

“I… rabbit,” was eventually all he was able to mumble out. He cringed, embarrassed over how worked up he was over this. Maybe Techno didn’t mean anything by it. Maybe he just shouldn’t get attached to food animals. This was expected. He should of expected it.

Techno stiffened from above him, and Ranboo felt his hands clench against his shoulders. Ranboo flinched, expecting Techno to push away and laugh at how worked up over a pet Ranboo was getting.

Instead, he heard a voice even softer than before, more of a whisper than anything, and so out of character for the violent anarchist he knew of Techno, “Oh, Ranboo… Shit, I didn’t even realize, I’m so sorry. You’re pet is fine, I thought you knew. He was curled up in your lap, slept with you for a long while. He’s downstairs, I think, keeping Bob company. I didn’t… we can have something else. I’ll make beef stew or something, I’m so sorry.”

Ranboo furrowed his brows. “You… didn’t kill him?”

At this Techno pushed away, holding Ranboo at arms length, but instead of looking at Ranboo’s eyes, he averted his gaze to the side, the same way he did when he talked at Edward, politely avoiding eye contact. Huh. Techno’s eyes averted, Ranboo took the opportunity to study the man’s face, his eyebrows drawn and mouth quirked downwards, clearly worried, but also… confused? surprised?

“What? No, of course I didn’t kill your rabbit, that’d be a supremely shitty thing to do. No, I traded with the villagers for rabbit meat. I just… thought you wouldn’t want to eat something you consider a pet, man,” Techno glanced at Ranboo, to judge his reaction, but turned his gaze downward as soon as they made eye contact.

Ranboo felt silly, now, after panicking for nothing, and making Techno worry for him, the emotional whiplash of it all causing hot tears to burn down his cheeks, a sizzling pain where they trailed downwards. He ignored it. “Oh, um, it’s fine, Techno. I don’t mind. I just… didn’t know where he went, and it’s… it’s been a weird morning for me,” he choked out a laugh, wiping harshly at the tear tracks on his face.

Techno moved one of his hands to Ranboo’s face, brushing a tear away with his thumb, but stopping when Ranboo flinched at the water being spread across his cheek. Ranboo pushed away, dabbing the water away with his sleeve, “Sorry, just… water, you know? It, ah… you know,” he finished, lamely, sniffling, giving another huffed laugh, “God, I don’t even know why I’m crying.”

Techno stared a moment, before turning to the side and tilting his head towards the sitting area, where their food still sat, forgotten, a clear invitation. He spoke up after Ranboo sat down, “You’ve had a rough week. It’s a miracle you’ve only had one panic attack today.”

“Two,” Ranboo corrected without thinking.

“Hmm?”

“I had two panic attacks today. One when I woke up. I couldn’t find my book.”

Techno, for his part, just sat and started eating his own soup, “Ah,” he added, simply.

“Yup.”

The two ate in silence, though Ranboo couldn’t tell if it was companionable or uncomfortable. He didn’t find it awkward, but he also barely felt his own fingers, so far removed from his body that he didn’t even notice when Techno got up to clear their dishes.

He did notice, though, when Techno returned with a small, speckled bunny, who was placed softly in Ranboo’s lap, the ender hybrid carding his fingers softly through the velvety fur.

“Ranboo?”

Techno’s sudden voice caused Ranboo to flinch so hard that the rabbit hopped out of his arms, hopping around until curling into a ball near the fireplace, seemingly content with it's warm new shelter. Ranboo looked towards Techno, who had just entered the door. When did he go outside?

Techno just looked at him, before speaking slowly, “I told you I was leaving, remember?”

Ah. He said that last part out loud. “Um, I guess I didn’t hear you. What’s up?”

A book was placed in front of Ranboo, worn and familiar. His memory book. Without thinking, he quickly snatched it from Techno, clutching it tightly to his chest. “Did you read it?” Ranboo didn’t remember why that was important, but it felt important.

Techno just shrugged, “No, not any of my business what’s in there.”

Ranboo looked at the latch of the small, leatherbound journal, still in place. “Thank you, Techno,” He didn’t know if he was thanking him for the privacy or the return of his book, but they were both appreciated.

Techno just nodded, settling himself into the small sitting area with his own book, “You know, if you want to go upstairs and, I dunno, read or sleep or whatever, it’s still snowing out there, and I forbade you from sleeping in the death trap you call a house until we can at least shovel it out.”

Ranboo recognized a polite dismissal when he heard one, or perhaps it was just Techno setting him up for a graceful exit, but either way, he made his way up the ladder and settled on the soft woolen bed, sifting through his memory book; the ominous smile on the front page, the friends list consisting of only Phil and Techno, past the New Beginnings page. On a new page, he wrote:

_Today I almost died in a blizzard._

_Techno helped me out of the snow._

_He got me my book back._

_He said he didn’t read it._

_I trust Techno._

_I don’t know if Techno trusts me back._

And with his book back, and a tiring day behind him, Ranboo sunk into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied/Referenced Animal Death: Techno makes Ranboo a rabbit stew from meat traded with villagers. Ranboo misunderstands the information and thinks Techno killed his pet rabbit, and has a panic attack because of it, but they talk through the miscommunication. Ranboo's pet rabbit is shown to be safe and healthy!!
> 
> Thanks for sticking through that! Last chapter is Techno's POV, will probably be up later this week! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! Techno's perspective, this time. Please be aware that a good bit of this chapter is Techno treating Ranboo's water burns, so be mindful if you're sensitive to that!! Stay safe.

Techno was trying. He really was, he was trying his best to deal with the lanky hybrid boy that locked himself in his attic, _really._ After Ranboo headed upstairs, Techno sat, reading in silence. Well, as close to silence as Techno ever really got, with the voices’ constant ramble:

_technosave_

**THIS IS BORING. GO KILL SOMETHING.**

R̶̫͒ä̸́ͅn̸̬̓b̵͇̓o̶͖͛ȯ̵̡'̴͉͋s̴̻̕ ̷̜̒b̷͖̔ẽ̶̬e̷̻̎ń̸̫ ̴͜s̴̾ͅl̴̹̇e̶̬̕é̷̤ṗ̴͓i̸̥̽n̸̪͐g̴̼̓ ̷͍͌a̵̖͐ ̴̹̿l̴͚͛ö̵̧́n̶̠͗ĝ̷̝ ̶̜͂t̵͖̀i̶̠͑m̴̫̅ȇ̴͎.̷̊ͅ.̶̺̊.̵̮̑ ̴̜̿:̴̭̈́/̵̱͌

“Guys, why are you telling at me,” Techno sighed, slamming his book closed and rubbing his temples. Ranboo had fallen asleep, last Techno checked, his book tucked so tight against his chest that Techno was afraid it would leave permanent marks on his arms. Despite that, though, it looked like a troubled nap, like the kid could barely get in breaths between the dreams he was having. Techno tried to ignore it, to let him sleep off whatever was going on in that head of his, but the longer it took, the more likely it seemed that Techno would have to interfere.

Techno _really_ didn’t want to interfere, because no matter what Ranboo or the voices might say, it was clear that Ranboo was afraid of him. He hated that, hated being the big bad in everyone else’s story, but especially to Ranboo, who’s whole thing was trying to help everyone he encountered. He was such a magnetic force of good, and Techno worried that he might be the negative force that pulls him deeper into whatever troubles him than he already is. ~~Maybe he should drive him away before he could hurt the kid.~~

Regardless, Ranboo clearly needed _someone_ , and since Phil wasn’t around, and wasn’t responding to messages on his coms, it was up to Techno. For now, at least. Techno pushed himself up from his seat and made his way upstairs.

Surprisingly, Ranboo was upright, staring straight at the wall in front of him, looking unsettlingly catatonic, eyes unfocused and glassy, his rabbit friend curled on up at the foot of the bed. Techno raised himself up on the ladder, sitting on the floor with his legs dangling down the shaft. “Eh, Ranboo? You in there?”

Ranboo flinched, _hard_ , and Techno tried his best not to show how much that hurt. The kid didn’t need Techno’s problems on top of his own, not now. Focus.

“You… You looked pretty lost in thought there, man,” Techno tried for a chuckle, but it sounded strained to his own ears.

Ranboo didn’t stop his staring towards the wall, but eventually responded, “I can’t remember…” He sounded far-away and lost, just as empty as his stare.

“Can’t remember what?”

“I…” Ranboo looked down at himself and shook his head, his eyes focusing on something at last, lifting to settle on Techno, not meeting his eye, but definitely seeing him, at least. “Oh! Um. Good morning?” He gave a crooked smile that was so unlike his previous state that it made Techno’s head spin.

“Morning. You, eh, were talking in your sleep?” It was a question, since Techno didn't really know what constituted as 'sleep' for the boy, but Techno’s monotone delivery made it sound more like an accusation, something that Techno internally cringed at.

Ranboo just tilted his head, “What did I say?”

“Just that you couldn’t remember,”

The half-enderman gave another smile, one that was sadder than the first, more reserved, “Yeah, sounds about right.”

They sat in silence for a moment, Ranboo leafing through the book beside him.

“It’s been a while since you to came up to nap. The snow’s stopped,” Techno watched as Ranboo glanced out one of the windows, where the steady fall of snow had died down, the heavy sheet of white having settled completely.

Without looking back towards Techno, he said, “I guess I should go shovel out my house, then.”

Techno raised a brow, “or you could spend some time getting your strength back? Wandering back out there in your state sounds like a great way to get sick.”

Ranboo looked towards his lap, running his fingers across his memory book, something that Techno recognized as a nervous habit of his.

“I don’t want to intrude…”

Techno snorted, “What, you think I’m just going to throw you out since the snow’s stopped?”

It was a joke, a very funny one in Techno’s opinion, one that would maybe break the nervous tension that had laid itself over the two of them like the snow outside.

But Ranboo didn’t laugh, just looked reserved and contemplative, like it was something he hadn’t considered before. Like he was considering that Techno actually _would_ throw him out of the house, which Techno thought was absurd. But that’s who Techno was to others, he supposed, someone who didn’t show kindness or compassion, just an angry anarchist with his own agenda. Techno wasn’t able to be soft. He was _The Blade_ after all.

“I couldn’t really stop you,” Ranboo’s words snapped Techno out of his spiraling thoughts, though he couldn’t begin to unpack what Ranboo meant. Not now.

Instead, he got up from the floor and walked to the bookshelves he kept in the attic, placing the one he was reading downstairs back in its slot, and turned to Ranboo, who quickly looked away when the two made eye contact.

“Regardless, I’m not letting you do anything while your hands are so fucked up. How are your burns, by the way? I wasn’t able to check them when you woke up earlier,” Techno walked towards Ranboo. He could tend to wounds. He was good at that. ~~The only thing he was good at.~~

Ranboo looked down at his hands, the places where the snow melted and caused small chemical burns on his exposed skin still inflamed and tender looking. “They… they’re better than they could have been. Thank you, by the way. For taking care of them,”

Techno made his way to the bed, sitting on the bell stand across from where Ranboo was sat, giving the still-sleeping rabbit a small scritch on the head, “May I see them?”

Ranboo had his hands stretched out as soon as Techno finished his sentence, and something in his stomach roiled at how quickly Ranboo complied. Like it was an order to follow, rather than a request. Like Techno was something to be obeyed. He shrugged it off, moving the rabbit and sitting on the foot of the bed himself, to better see the damage.

Carefully unwrapping the admittedly sloppy bandages, Techno turned over Ranboo’s hands in his own, looking at the damaged skin with careful eyes. The burns themselves were largely superficial, but infection was a threat with any wound that covered so much surface area.

_ranboo 0, water 1 gg_

**THE HANDS ARE RUINED. YOU HAVE TO CUT THEM OFF. DO IT.**

A̴̩̔t̷̯̎ ̵̘̈ļ̴̒e̴̝͝à̷̻s̴͓̔t̴̠͋ ̴̹̚i̴͍̍ṯ̵͌'̵͓̓s̷̺̓ ̵̙̆b̴̮̊ę̷̚t̵̖͒t̷͍̉e̸ͅr̴̩̓ ̶͖̃t̷̨̊h̸̞͒a̸̠̅n̸̬͂ ̴̂ͅí̴̡t̸̛̜ ̴̤̒ẅ̸̹a̵̦̍s̴̨̔!̶͇͑

Techno ignored the voices and went back to the task at hand, pulling out the first-aid kit from where it laid under the bed, abandoned from where it had been hastily kicked last time Techno needed patching up. It was low on supplies, but it would last a little longer. Long enough to heal up Ranboo, at least.

He pulled out a vial of antiseptic and a small square of cloth, dousing the rag with the astringent liquid. “I’ll be honest, Ranboo, this isn’t going to feel nice. I wasn’t able to clean these out earlier, so…” He trailed off, unsure how to say that he was going to have to make it worse before it gets better without it sounding unkind.

Ranboo, for his part, took the hint, and visibly steeled himself, hands tensing in front of him again. Techno took one of them and gently placed the soaked rag on one of the larger burns. Ranboo let out a small hiss, an edge of static hinting at it’s edges. Other than that, though, the boy was still as a board, not even flinching as Techno worked the antiseptic into his hands, speckling the cloth with dots of blood. It worried Techno, how still he was being.

He tried to cut the tension with small talk, staring focused on his work, “You should have told me if the snow was going to be a problem,” he said, a hint of anger hinting his words. The kid should be more careful, he was going to get himself seriously hurt if he kept disregarding his own safety.

“I mean,” Ranboo hesitated, clearly thinking something over, “It isn’t, normally. I just… I didn’t want something to happen to my armor and gloves, if I… if I died. So I stored them.”

Techno paused at that. This kid, this _child_ had the audacity to refuse to build himself a house with walls, and then proceeded to talk about his own death so casually, like he didn’t expect himself to stay for long, and was making it easy to clean up when he disappeared. It was unnerving, especially for a kid who, as far as Techno knew, hadn’t actually died before.

He kept those thoughts to himself and continued to work on Ranboo’s burns, switching to clean the other hand. “That’s pretty flawed logic. What happens if someone goes into your stuff, now? They can just steal your armor,” Techno knew it wasn’t a real concern, not this far away from civilization, but he needed Ranboo to be more careful. Just in case.

Ranboo saw that flaw, though, and squinted his eyes, “What, do you want my armor? You’re the only other one out here. I mean, you can have it, if you want. I’m pretty sure I have an extra set I could use…”

Techno took another deep breath, trying everything in his power not to physically shake the boy out of being so self-sacrificial. Instead, he picked up a bandage and started rolling it around Ranboo’s hand.

“No, Ranboo. I’m not going to try to steal your armor. Even if I did, I’d hope you know better than to just give it to me,” It sounded like a threat, and Ranboo flexed his hand like he took it like one, and Techno was, once again, struck by how terribly Not Qualified he was to be doing this. He continued rolling the bandage around Ranboo’s hand, and up the wrist before folding it off neatly. He switched focus to the other hand.

Ranboo gave a half-hearted chuckle, “I mean, you’re a lot stronger than I am. Also, you saved me,” he said with a level of sincerity in his tone that bordered on reverence “I… I can’t really tell you no, now. You can have anything from me.”

The kid looked so earnest when he said that, so young, Techno couldn’t help but grit his teeth. The kid didn’t even know what he was offering, ~~what Techno was able to do to him~~ , yet here he was, in Techno’s house, hurt and in need of support that Techno just couldn’t offer him.

“Don’t say that,” is what Techno eventually forced out, tying off the second bandage a little rougher than intended. “You don’t owe me anything. Don’t let anyone tell you that you owe them for something they did voluntarily.”

Ranboo just did that tilt of his head again, like he didn’t understand the response, like they were having two different conversations. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Techno parroted. Another silence lapsed between them, one that seemed even heavier than the first. Techno felt his ear twitch subconsciously as the voices filled his head with waves of chatter.

_technocringe_

**HE KNOWS TOO MUCH. KILL HIM.**

Y̵͔͐ơ̵̹ǘ̴̦ ̴͕̄b̸̞̄õ̷̩ẗ̸͕́h̸͚̚ ̶̝̍a̵͔̓r̵̬͘e̵͎̒ ̵̨̂g̸͔͠e̶̫̓t̴̏͜t̸̨͘i̴̝̚n̵͔̆g̸͌ͅ ̸̱̐a̴̼̎l̵̛̩ọ̴̔ñ̸̯ģ̵̛ ̸̉͜s̶͉͘o̴̗̾ ̴̫͐w̴̺̎e̶̝̎l̵̢̛l̷̜̈́!̶̙̕

Techno squeezed his eyes shut, trying to quiet the mess in his mind.

“Techno?”

“Hmm?”

“You okay? You look…” Ranboo trailed off, and Techno pried his eyes open to look at the boy, taking in Ranboo’s nervous fidgeting, his book in his arms yet again, like it physically hurt him to not be in possession of it.

“I’m fine. It’s just… thoughts get loud, sometimes.”

“Ah,” Silence, again, for a long while, before Ranboo continued, “I get loud thoughts sometimes, too.”

Techno quirked his brow, urging him to continue. Ranboo just shrugged, picking at his newly-bandaged hands instead of at Techno, “If you want to talk about it… I’ve been told I’m a good listener. And I probably won’t remember any secrets you tell me, anyways,” He said it with a sad smile, one that Techno knows meant that he had forgotten secrets before. He didn’t know if it was endearing or concerning.

Techno let out a heavy sigh through his nose, “Nah, you’ve got enough to worry about, kid. Just… you can relax with me, until Philza shows back up. We can work on your house together, then. Build you an actual shelter, not a shed.”

Ranboo looked like he was about to argue, but Techno glared at him, not meeting his eye, but giving enough of a reason not to talk back. So, instead, Ranboo just smiled softly, “I’d like that a lot, Techno. Thank you.”

Techno just snorted, “Whatever, it’s not like I care or anything.”

He didn’t do a good job of convincing himself of that, let alone Ranboo, but neither or them mentioned how blatant of a lie it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it, folks! Thank you for making it this far <3  
> I'll admit, I was kind of nervous to post this, but I hope that you all like the ending!
> 
> Each comment gives me an additional cannon life, and kudos make my heart happy, so do with that what you will u.u


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